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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25087369">Warm and Comfortable and Right (Robstar Week 2020)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeatheredSparks/pseuds/FeatheredSparks'>FeatheredSparks</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Robstar Week [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Teen Titans (Animated Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Drama, F/M, Family, Fluff, Prompt Fic, Romance, partial AU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:41:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,471</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25087369</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeatheredSparks/pseuds/FeatheredSparks</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Your concentrated daily dose of Robstar, all week long. A collection of oneshots fitting the prompts for this year's Robstar Week.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dick Grayson/Koriand'r</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Robstar Week [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1606354</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>31</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Stargazers (Prompt: Star Aligned/Destiny)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Come one, come all, it's Robstar Week! I was immensely pleased and excited by this year's prompts, and I've been chomping at the bit for July 5th to roll around, so without further ado, let's get started!</p>
<p>It's a funny thing: I was originally set on a very different idea for this first prompt, but I just couldn't get it to work. I eventually switched it out for what you see here, partially for reasons that will become apparent later in the week, and I think it turned out pretty well! Anyway, have some Robin and Starfire going on a date and being kinda giant nerds together.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a calm night – no alerts that day, no slippery villains on the move for the Titans to worry about. Robin had thought to take advantage of the moment of peace to get out of the city for an evening. There was a state park just past the far side of the bay, and he had brought Starfire with him on the R-cycle and driven out until the lights of the city were no longer visible beyond the rocky outcroppings surrounding them.</p>
<p>The reason for this became more and more obvious as the vanishing sun revealed a canvas of stars that couldn't be seen in the bright city lights. Robin's cycle was parked at a scenic overlook by a nearby campground, and he now sat at the base of a lone tree with his date curled up against his chest.</p>
<p>"The stars look so different from this part of the galaxy," Starfire commented. "I do not think of it often, but these clear skies make it so obvious."</p>
<p>With a chuckle she added, "With how much I have travelled, I should be used to seeing them from different angles. Especially Earth's."</p>
<p>Robin hummed in thought and rested his chin on her head. "You went to a lot of different planets as a kid? What was that like?"</p>
<p>Starfire smiled and angled her head up to look at him. "They were diplomatic visits, mostly. My parents would visit with the dignitaries of allied worlds, and my siblings and I got a chance to experience the planets themselves. I did some of my training off-world as well."</p>
<p>She paused for a moment, thinking. "Each planet was unique, I remember. Many of them are as varied as Earth, but others are altogether drier, or colder, or some other such distinction that seems to almost define the world. And the cultures! Every one of them strange and fascinating, yet at the same time somehow familiar in one way or another."</p>
<p>Robin leaned back to look at her better. "No kidding? In what ways?"</p>
<p>Now it was Starfire's turn to hum thoughtfully. After a moment's consideration, she wriggled out of his embrace and sat up, pointing at the starscape above them.</p>
<p>"For one thing, many cultures across the galaxy look at stars in similar ways. They are often associated with destiny. I suspect it is because they are such a constant." She cocked her head, thinking for another moment, before amending, "or at least, as close to constant as anything can be."</p>
<p>Robin smiled and looked at the sky as well. "Yeah, a lot of Earth's cultures do the same thing."</p>
<p>Starfire returned her gaze to him. "So I have heard. You have such bold and dramatic stories of the destinies written in the stars, and of the star-crossed lovers…"</p>
<p>Robin smirked. "I think you'd like the stories about star-<em>aligned</em> lovers better. Star-<em>crossed</em> lovers – like Romeo and Juliet – are basically screwed over by fate, but people's stars being in alignment is usually a more positive sign. I know you prefer happy endings."</p>
<p>When he glanced back down at her, she was giving him that enraptured look she always had when she was learning something new about Earth. He loved that look, and it gave him a secret thrill that there were still a few things he could teach her.</p>
<p>"That sounds a little like Tamaran's interpretation of multiple star systems," she commented. "Our tradition holds that each person's destiny is tied to a star, and those whose stars are locked in binary or higher systems have deep and unshakeable bonds with one another."</p>
<p>Robin snorted playfully. "Yeah? Think there's a five-star system somewhere out there with our team's name on it?"</p>
<p>The two of them dissolved into quiet laughter at that. It faded after a few moments, and they returned their attention to the sky above. Starfire turned and scooted back to sit beside Robin at the tree's base, and he leaned a little into her side.</p>
<p>"Do you believe in any of it?"</p>
<p>Robin blinked in surprise at the sudden question, his gaze flicking toward his partner. "What, the stars and destiny?"</p>
<p>Starfire nodded, and he paused to consider that for a moment.</p>
<p>"I don't know. I like to think we make our own destiny – I mean, we've proven that even a <em>prophesy</em> can be beaten, more or less – but I've seen enough that it's hard not to wonder if something's at least helping it along a little."</p>
<p>Starfire smiled. "I believe I feel the same way. And as much as I wish to have <em>words</em> with our stars about all the pain they have put us through –" here her smile faltered, only to return a little softer "– I cannot deny that we have made the best of it."</p>
<p>With a low sigh and a blush that Robin could only just make out, she leaned further against him, tilting her head slightly so that it rested against his. "And… Sometimes I think that your and my stars might really <em>be</em> in a system together."</p>
<p>Robin closed his eyes contentedly and weaved his fingers in with hers. "You know something? That sounds like it would be nice."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Morning Sun (Prompt: Warmth)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I decided to take the prompt "warmth" and write something involving "cuddly body heat" (as the planning notes say), and the end result... maybe kind of got away from the actual warmth element, at least as far as the focus. But that's okay, because I'm immensely pleased with how it turned out, to the point where I can confidently say that this is the story I'm most proud of for this week. Really I probably could have gotten away with just doing the second scene (and it would have fit the prompt more closely anyway, lol), but why do that when you can be EXTRA</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Robin groaned softly as he came to, his head mired in that fuzzy sort of awareness that comes with just waking up. Something felt off, but not in a painful or truly disorienting way – he hadn't been knocked unconscious, at least. But the odd, half-upright position he found himself in proved that he hadn't gone to bed properly either.</p>
<p>Blinking open bleary eyes, he pushed himself further up and took stock of his surroundings. That was right – the team had piled into their ops-slash-common room after a late battle and put on a movie to wind down. He must have fallen asleep on the couch, where he found himself now.</p>
<p>As awareness returned to him, he noticed that his side was pleasantly warm. He looked over to see Starfire propped up against him, still fast asleep.</p>
<p>…Huh. It was far from the first time he had fallen asleep with another Titan like this – hell, he was pretty sure every member of the team had done so with every other at least once. That was just what happened when your teammates were also your roommates and nights got unpredictable. But now that he thought about it, he was pretty sure this was the first time he'd actually fallen asleep <em>right next to</em> Starfire. A gentle heat seemed to radiate off her, and Robin frowned. She didn't look like she had a fever, but he still peeled himself off of her and gently shook her shoulder.</p>
<p>"Hey," he whispered. "Hey, Star, you okay?"</p>
<p>Starfire's eyes fluttered open as she began to stir. She gave him a confused look.</p>
<p>"Robin? Did I fall asleep on the couch?" She sat up and looked around, and Robin chuckled.</p>
<p>"You and me both," he admitted. With a frown he added, "You're not sick, are you? You feel like you're burning up."</p>
<p>Starfire shook her head, the confusion in her face only growing as she stood up and stretched. "I do not feel feverish at all."</p>
<p>"Huh." That was just her normal temperature, then. He supposed that Tamaraneans must have a higher than average body heat, or maybe it just seemed that way since he'd apparently spent all night right up against her. He wondered if that was why she gave such nice hugs.</p>
<p>It was that thought that drove in exactly what was going on right now. Not only had he fallen asleep all snuggled up with <em>Starfire</em>, of all people, but they were the <em>only</em> ones here, the other Titans nowhere in sight. He scrambled to his feet, and even though there was no one else to see them he could feel himself blushing furiously.</p>
<p>Starfire just gave him a baffled look, one which was swiftly becoming her expression of choice this morning. "Is something wrong, Robin?"</p>
<p>Robin was too flustered now to answer her, so he just muttered something half-intelligible about paperwork and beat a hasty retreat for his office.</p>
<hr/>
<p>It was far from the first time Robin had found himself waking up in unfamiliar circumstances. With the way things had been going, it would be a while before he woke up somewhere that actually felt right.</p>
<p>The Titans had been chasing the Brotherhood of Evil with their <em>stupid</em> worldwide bases and their <em>dumb</em> plots that turned out to be just a small part of some bigger puzzle for about a month now. And honestly? The fact that his mind had resorted to describing the mission this way paid testament to how much he just wanted to go home. If the Brotherhood hadn't started targeting Honorary Titans specifically, and if what few hints his team managed to uncover hadn't pointed to some scheme involving the young heroes of the world, he would have been happy to leave these psychos to the Doom Patrol and call it a day. They did have more experience dealing with the Brotherhood, after all.</p>
<p>But the fact of the matter was that the Titans and other young heroes <em>were</em> the targets, and that meant it was their responsibility to defend themselves and their comrades. Even if it meant spending months away from home, chasing any lead they could find. Even if it meant finding themselves in the middle of nowhere in some stretch of northern Russia, where there were no nearby motels to speak of and they had to make do with a parked T-ship and a makeshift snowfort for the second time that week.</p>
<p>Even if it meant everyone huddling up together for warmth.</p>
<p>At least Starfire was there with them this time.</p>
<p>Robin opened bleary eyes to the dim light of the portable lantern set up for this occasion and the gentle glow that always emanated from Cyborg's circuitry. He checked his communicator for the time, and found it was right around ten minutes before the alarm he'd set for everyone would go off.</p>
<p>Not bad. Normally he would just get up and take the brief head-start to get himself ready for the day, but the makeshift quarters were kind of cramped and he didn't want to wake anyone else up before he had to. Besides, he didn't think he'd been this comfortably warm in days.</p>
<p>So instead, he sighed contentedly and leaned closer against his… uh… body heat partner, or whatever he should call it. He was about to rest his eyes for a few more minutes when he suddenly realized he wasn't the only one awake.</p>
<p>Across the way, from where he and Raven both lay back against a massive green polar bear, Cyborg watched him with the smallest teasing quirk to his lip. In spite of himself, Robin could already feel the heat rising to his face.</p>
<p>"Shut up," he muttered, pulling the blanket wrapped around him and Starfire up further.</p>
<p>Cyborg's smirk only grew. "I didn't say anything," he pointed out in a voice too soft to wake anyone else. "But if I did, it would just be to point out that you two look <em>very</em> comfortable."</p>
<p>Robin huffed. "And you three don't? We all need to share body heat to keep the cold from getting in, if you remember."</p>
<p>"But there's plenty of room here on the big green couch, and last I checked, Star does just fine in <em>space</em>-level cold if she's not overworking herself. Admit it already; you just like the company."</p>
<p>Robin's blush deepened. He'd been getting more of these little jabs from Cyborg and the others lately, and he knew it was kind of his fault for letting himself be more affectionate with Starfire without making anything official. But what was he supposed to say? That he hadn't quite been ready to do this relationship thing when the subject had first come up, and now he was on a long mission that didn't really seem like the appropriate time to ask out your teammate? That he was maybe sort of stalling on that, and possibly hoping that Starfire would make the first move? That he just really wanted to be near her after the blizzard incident, to know that she was safe, and it didn't hurt that snuggl- <em>huddling</em> against her just felt warm and comfortable and right?</p>
<p>No, trying to explain any of that would only make the teasing worse. So instead, he huddled back further and summed up all his annoyance and confusion and dumb teenage hormones in the most eloquent way he could.</p>
<p>"I said shut <em>up</em>."</p>
<hr/>
<p>When you took up the hero's mantle, it wasn't hard for normal sleep schedules to go out the window. Sure, some villains – the egomaniacs, the sowers of chaos, and those who were just <em>way</em> too confident about attracting the attention of the local superhero team – chose to partake in their villainy at reasonable hours of the day or perhaps early enough in the night. But many others, thieves and black-market dealers mostly, preferred to try their luck at slipping past the city's awareness when everyone reasonable was trying to sleep. When those late-night crimes spiked, or when it took several nights to crack a case or track down a busy criminal, Robin would often find himself dead on his feet for most of the morning and collapsing into bed at some random hour to take a very long nap.</p>
<p>Because of this, it did not surprise him in the slightest to find himself waking up just as the sun had started drifting down toward the horizon. What <em>did</em> surprise him was the manner in which he found himself: on a hotel room bed, with the DVD menu for some long-finished movie running on the television and Starfire awake but clearly relaxed and curled up beside him in a very definitely non-platonic manner.</p>
<p>In the brief, maddening moment before he remembered where he was and what he'd been doing, Robin flew into a panic and made a flailing attempt to get off the bed. Starfire's eyes widened and she leaned away from him, allowing him to sit up.</p>
<p>"Is something wrong?" she asked.</p>
<p>Robin blinked and took a few deep breaths. Right. They were in Tokyo, and this was part of the team's hotel suite. He and Star had been watching a movie – <em>actually</em> watching it, nothing untoward – and they must have fallen asleep at some point.</p>
<p>And the reason it was just the two of them, not simply sitting together but cuddling on top of the bed, was because they were dating now. Really, <em>truly</em> dating. He was still trying to wrap his head around that.</p>
<p>All at once he realized that Starfire was still waiting for an answer, so he let out an embarrassed chuckle and said, "Sorry, kind of forgot where I was for a second there."</p>
<p>The concern in her features dissolved, and just because he could, he leaned over and gave her a small peck on the lower jaw. Yeah, he could get used to this.</p>
<p>Starfire blushed and giggled at the attention, and then swung an arm back around him. "Should we go see what the others are doing?"</p>
<p>Robin leaned into her side and let his head nestle under her chin, basking in her warm presence. "Mmm, I think we can wait a few more minutes."</p>
<hr/>
<p>Nightwing had long since stopped feeling embarrassed when he and his girlfriend fell asleep on the couch.</p>
<p>Now, there <em>were</em> a few unspoken rules surrounding the situation. It was always the couch, or something similar – if they spent the night together in one of their rooms, it'd be too tempting to try something that they personally preferred to wait until marriage for, and even if that didn't happen, it would still be enough for Cyborg and Beast Boy to start on the teasing and the rumors. In return, it had become common practice for the other Titans to leave Nightwing and Starfire be if they wanted to stay late in ops to talk, or if everyone fell asleep to a movie marathon and one of the others happened to wake up and make his or her way to bed. It still didn't happen especially often, but it wasn't exactly something they tried to avoid.</p>
<p>Nightwing had been up late last night, finishing up the paperwork for a case down in ops where Starfire could keep him company, and when he'd finally wrapped up they had both been too tired to bother heading upstairs into their respective bedrooms. Now a soft morning light filtered in through the bayside windows, and he found Starfire still fast asleep with her head on his chest and Silkie curled up near them at the foot of the couch.</p>
<p>Nightwing smiled softly to himself as he ran gentle fingers though his partner's hair, careful not to wake her. They hadn't even bothered to fetch blankets, as she rarely felt the need for one and he considered her body heat as she cuddled up against him to be enough. It was a quiet morning, and on these kinds of mornings his mind tended to wander.</p>
<p>They were like a little family, he thought. More so than the Titans as a whole. He loved his other teammates like siblings, of course, but there was something a little more… <em>intimate</em> about just being here with his beloved and their pet. If he closed his eyes, he could almost picture them in a bedroom – <em>their</em> bedroom, not just his or hers – with the snuffling larva curled up in the pet bed that in reality occupied Star's room, or perhaps swapped out for a young child who had insisted in sleeping with Mom and Dad after a nightmare. It was a nice thought, a peaceful one.</p>
<p>Not for the first time, he wondered what he was waiting for. They were adults now, perhaps a <em>little</em> on the young side for marriage, but he knew that was a weak argument. Even setting aside the fact that Starfire's home culture had considered her ready to marry ever since her transformation, the circumstances of the team meant they had effectively been "grown up" for years now. He and she had been in love even before they'd begun dating, and he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that their love was not going to waver now.</p>
<p>He wanted this – to give himself over to her completely, to be her partner in the deepest sense of the word, to start a family together one day and to live out his life by her side. He wanted to wake up with her <em>every</em> morning, his own personal ray of sunshine, and to be her moonlight when she went to bed at night.</p>
<p>It was just a matter of figuring out the right time, he supposed, but as his thoughts drifted to the drawer in his room where he kept his mother's engagement ring, he thought that time might be coming soon.</p>
<hr/>
<p>He dimly realized he was awake, but he wasn't in a rush to get up. Without even opening his eyes, he nestled his forehead deeper into the crook of her neck and draped an arm loosely over her bare side.</p>
<p>Soft laughter reached his ears, followed shortly by his wife's teasing voice. "Are you comfortable?"</p>
<p>Even though they couldn't see each other's faces in this position, Nightwing smiled lazily and cracked open one eye. "Why wouldn't I be, Kor? I've got you here."</p>
<p>Starfire laughed again at the use of the pet name he'd given her, and then sighed contentedly. Her breath ruffled his hair, and she tousled it lightly with one hand.</p>
<p>"I could get used to this," she said. "You are so very playful in the mornings, and your presence is… pleasantly warm."</p>
<p>Nightwing couldn't help but snort in amusement at that, and he shuffled himself back to get a proper look at her. Starfire was radiant in the morning light, and beyond her he could see the room they now shared. It had been their first night back from their honeymoon, but already the room just felt… <em>right</em>.</p>
<p>"<em>You're</em> warmed by <em>me</em> being here? I'm pretty sure Tamaraneans run hotter than humans, Star."</p>
<p>Starfire's eyes glittered with mirth, and she shook her head slowly in mock disappointment. "It is not a competition," she said, and before he could retort she leaned forward and planted him with a deep, long kiss.</p>
<p>Not that he really had much else to say. Only that he thought he could get used to this too.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A New Life (Prompt: Tamaran)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>And now we come to this year’s Royal Family Verse prompt! For those of you unfamiliar with it, this is a special story ‘verse that I set one Robstar Week story in each year; not exactly an AU, but a bit of an unusual interpretation of events that happen post-Tokyo. You’ll see what those events are in this fic (It’s set right at the beginning of the overarching story), but if you’d like to see a bit more, last year's fic (found in the "Stardust in Her Hair" compilation) is titled "These Winding Halls."</p>
<p>I’d really been hoping for a prompt that would allow me to write something set around the beginning of this storyline, and “Tamaran” ended up being perfect. The following scene is something that had been floating around in my head for quite some time, and it feels good to finally have it set down in the official ‘verse!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was not supposed to end this way.</p>
<p>Galfore was a good ruler. He had spent most of his life in the capital, and he had been one of Emperor Myand'r's closest confidants. He had taught Starfire – Princess Koriand'r, back then – and her siblings almost everything they knew about guiding, aiding, and defending their people. He was intelligent, thoughtful, loyal, and dedicated, and in the short time since he'd been declared Grand Ruler, he had dismantled the seeds of corruption that had allowed Blackfire to take a stranglehold on Tamaran and brought to it an age of peace and security that the planet had not seen since before the Gordanian invasion.</p>
<p>What he lacked – directly, at least – was an heir.</p>
<p>Starfire had received the news two days ago: Galfore had been attacked by an assassin, and though he'd avoided serious injury, a poisoned blade had managed to cut deep into his thigh. The poison had been discovered and treated immediately, but it was potent, and at the time it was unknown whether he would even survive. The uncertainty of it all was almost worse than the news itself, and she had a lot to think about while she waited for an update. The other Titans had respected her space in this time, while still giving her what comfort and encouragement they could.</p>
<p>Now, though, it was time to talk to them. And she started, <em>had</em> to start, with Robin.</p>
<p>The two of them sat facing each other cross-legged on the floor of his bedroom. Robin watched her patiently, waiting until she was ready to speak. Starfire's knee bounced a little with nervous energy, and she found herself looking almost anywhere in the room but him.</p>
<p>Finally, she let out a low sigh. "I received another transmission from Tamaran this morning."</p>
<p>Robin nodded. "I heard. Is… Is Galfore going to be all right?"</p>
<p>Starfire bit her lip, still looking a little to the side. "He is… for the most part. He is alive, stable and fully expected to recover, but the poison has already done some irreparable damage. He will never have full use of his leg again."</p>
<p>Robin winced – he knew how much value Tamaraneans put on physical strength. "I'm glad he's… mostly okay, but that still has to be hard. I'm sorry."</p>
<p>Starfire sighed again. Now came the hard part. "That is not all. If it was, I would have simply considered it a blessing for how much he <em>will</em> recover. Galfore is very resilient, and I know that he will handle the setback well. But not everybody is going to view it that way."</p>
<p>For the first time, she let her gaze meet his. "My people are warriors, Robin, and the Grand Ruler is expected to defend the nation personally. That is why we allow physical challenges for the throne, such as you saw when I overthrew Blackfire. In his condition, Galfore will have no end of challenges, whether from people who view him as weak and unfit to rule or those who simply see a chance to take the crown for themselves. And though the Grand Ruler does not have to accept every challenge, denying too many of them will lose him the support of the council.</p>
<p>"Galfore is very strong and skilled, but he cannot risk a power-hungry fool taking advantage of an obvious weakness to overcome him. To prevent such a thing, he has chosen to abdicate his role as Grand Ruler… and appoint a successor in his place."</p>
<p>Robin straightened up a fraction, his eyes widening slightly. "…And you're the successor." It was less a question than a statement of fact, a realization of just where this conversation had been leading him.</p>
<p>Starfire gave a shallow nod. "He intended to find another suitable candidate to name and train as his heir, but that would require time he no longer has. I am already trained and proven in the people's eyes, and I am the only member of the previous dynasty still eligible and available. Tamaran has been through so much turmoil in the past several years… I cannot turn down the crown again."</p>
<p>Again, she found herself unable to meet his eyes. Slowly, regretfully, she unhooked her communicator from her belt and placed it on the floor between them.</p>
<p>"I am sorry," she said, her voice soft, "but I must leave for Tamaran soon. It seemed only right to tell you first, especially since… we cannot be together any longer."</p>
<p>Robin didn't say anything for several moments. From the corner of her eye, Starfire saw him reach for the communicator and grasp it in his own hand. He held it there for a few seconds, as if afraid to do anything more with it, and then he finally spoke up.</p>
<p>"Take me with you."</p>
<p>Starfire jolted at that, wide eyes snapping up at him. "<em>What</em>?"</p>
<p>Robin's own eyes seemed to have widened under the mask, and she got the sense that even he was a little surprised by what he'd just said. Taking a deep breath, he set her communicator back on the floor and went on.</p>
<p>"You've already had to leave behind the life you knew before. I… I know what that's like, and I don't want you to have to do it again alone. I want to go with you."</p>
<p>Starfire couldn't believe what she was hearing right now. "I… I will still have Galfore, and accepting the crown will be me <em>returning</em> to my old life. You are suggesting you move to an unfamiliar planet and leave everyone else you know behind for my sake, and I cannot accept that. What of the other Titans?"</p>
<p>Robin let out a hollow, humorless laugh. "They'll already be losing <em>you</em> – the team's going to have to rebuild itself either way. And even though you're technically going back, you know it can never be the same as it was when you were a kid. You wouldn't have been so openly upset about this if it could. If I have to leave someone I care about, at least let me do it on my own terms."</p>
<p>Starfire shook her head and stood up. "Robin, you will be an outworlder. You would need to prove yourself on the testing grounds to be considered anything more than a guest who must stay under heavy guard anytime you are in the palace." She began to pace the floor, running through the scenario in her head. "And you already know that Tamaraneans do not court for as long as humans of your country. If you come with me, my people will expect nothing less than <em>marriage</em>."</p>
<p>"…Okay."</p>
<p>Starfire froze in her tracks and turned to stare at him again. Robin's face flushed red, and he stood up and rubbed the back of his neck.</p>
<p>"Look, I… You're right, I <em>do</em> know how Tamaranean courting works. I know how hard it is for your species to give up a loved one and find a new partner. And I know that you're going to need to get married and eventually… produce heirs of your own, and that you'd <em>want</em> to even if it wasn't necessary." The red in his face deepened. "And… I've been thinking about it a while, even before Galfore got attacked. It's a little earlier than I was planning, but I already knew that was the direction we were headed. <em>Both</em> of us."</p>
<p>Starfire searched his face as his thoughts spilled out in an increasing ramble. She could see no hint of uncertainty or false confidence in his expression, and she murmured a gentle, "Robin…"</p>
<p>With a deep breath, he went on. "I… I know I can't really <em>propose</em> to the future empress of Tamaran, but if it's what you want, then so do I. I just… don't want to lose you." With a nervous little laugh, he added, "Besides, I seem to remember you saying that Tamaraneans confessing their love to one another is practically <em>how</em> they get engaged, and we've already kind of done that."</p>
<p>Starfire was speechless at first. Of all the responses she'd imagined him taking to her news, this was one of the few she had not dared seriously consider. A part of her, the part that had never lost its ties to her original culture, had been ready to marry since they first affirmed their love for one another a year ago in Tokyo. She desperately wanted to ask – no, <em>beg</em> him to marry her, to join her on Tamaran as consort and be with her always.</p>
<p>But she still wasn't certain that he would not regret it.</p>
<p>"And… The other Titans?" she asked hesitantly, folding her arms tight against herself. "I know what you already said, but you are their leader, and together we make up nearly half of the team."</p>
<p>Robin rubbed his arm. "I've thought about that too. After you found out about Galfore and I realized you might need to leave, I mean," he admitted. "But honestly? The Titans have come a long way since our team first came together. I think Cyborg can take over as leader – though that's up to him, Beast Boy and Raven – and if they need more help, I know a few honoraries are looking for a team to join full-time."</p>
<p>So this had not been an impulsive decision. Robin had seriously thought about it, and had already made up his mind – and not in that stubborn and single-minded way he could get when chasing some villain he considered his specific responsibility to stop. Even so, some part of Starfire still thought she should say no, that this was <em>her</em> responsibility now and that he would be giving up too much just to stay with her.</p>
<p>But then she remembered when she first came to Earth, scared and alone and lashing out, and the boy who had risked life and limb to calm her down and help her. As a core member of the royal family, <em>she</em> was the one meant to aid and sacrifice for her people. It was one of the first times that someone had gone out of their way for <em>her</em>, not out of duty as a guard or another royal but just because they wanted to help.</p>
<p>She truly didn't have to do this alone. Yes, the responsibilities of Grand Rulership would be hers to bear – the man she chose to marry would only be an emperor consort, after all – but she could still have someone by her side to support her all the way. And Robin had offered to be that someone. He <em>wanted</em> to.</p>
<p>Starfire didn't realize she'd started crying until Robin stiffened in alarm. "Star!" he shouted, rushing to her and clasping her arms with a firm but gentle grip. "I-I'm sorry, I came on too strong and you're already dealing with a lot, I shouldn't have said anything yet, just forget I –"</p>
<p>But Starfire cut him off by throwing her arms around him and burying her head in his shoulder. Despite all the pain and uncertainty of the past few days, she found herself laughing, just a little, though the tears.</p>
<p>"Do not apologize," she murmured into his shoulder. "I am… overwhelmed with emotion right now, but for the first time, some of that emotion is good."</p>
<p>She could feel Robin's muscles relax as he returned her embrace, and for several moments the two of them just stood there, clinging to each other like lifelines.</p>
<p>Finally, Starfire pulled back and let her forehead rest against his, giving him a watery smile.</p>
<p>"Robin…" she murmured. "…I love you. And in case you are uncertain, I do mean that in the full Tamaranean sense of the phrase." Her smile broadened. "If you will have me, I believe you will make a wonderful emperor."</p>
<p>Robin returned her smile with one of his own, and he answered her unspoken question by leaning forward and catching her lips with his own. And for the first time since Galfore's injury, Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran felt that everything was going to be okay.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Real Magic (Prompt: Fantasy AU)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hoo boy, I was excited when I saw this prompt. Fantasy is my jam, and it’s a fun experiment to imagine what characters would be like in various AUs. My first instinct was to go for the classic swords and sorcery concept (it’s one I’ve played around a bit with before), but then I realized there was no real limit on what kind of fantasy AU we had to do, and was suddenly struck with the urge to do urban fantasy monster hunters. It was an interesting challenge  – giving readers a clear enough look at how this world works while still finding time to make things mushy in the course of a prompt oneshot. Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The dim blue glow of his computer screen washed over Dick's face as he leaned forward, poring over the case files for the umpteenth time that day. He rubbed his eyes, took another swig of long-cooled coffee, and then squinted at the screen, searching for some subtle pattern he may have missed before.</p>
<p>He was finally pulled from his thoughts by a sound of heavy, yet surprisingly gentle buzzing. He looked up to the source: a faintly luminous young woman, who at that moment was touching down beside his desk and folding gossamer wings behind her.</p>
<p>Many would have found themselves caught up just looking at the faerie, entranced by her ethereal beauty. Dick would know – he'd seen it happen several times, and loathe as he was to admit it, even he sometimes felt a twinge of her mystical pull. A distraction, that was all it was.</p>
<p>Now, though, his only reaction was a half-smile and a friendly nod. "Need anything, Kori?"</p>
<p>Koriand'r was one of his comrades and closest friends in the Titans, a modern-day monster hunting team commissioned by local law enforcement to deal with dangerous cases of a supernatural nature. The Titans were a particularly diverse group – Dick was the only one without some personal tie to the supernatural, and alongside the literal faerie, the team included a sorceress, an enchanter and a werebeast.</p>
<p>Kori leaned over his desk, brows furrowed as she reviewed the screen. "You have been studying that for a very long time," she said. "Did we not already apprehend the culprit? Is there something we missed?"</p>
<p>The 'culprit' in question was a vampire who'd been responsible for a rash of attacks in the past week. Dick sat back and rubbed under his eyes.</p>
<p>"That's what I'm trying to find out," he admitted. "This kid looks like he came out of nowhere. Just starts running around, leaving people half-dead from blood loss… I think he was either just turned and couldn't handle it, or someone lured him here specifically to wreak havoc."</p>
<p>His partner frowned doubtfully. "Those are certainly options, but I fail to see why they are the only ones... Or how staring at the reports of his attacks will help you determine so. Can you not ask him in interrogation?"</p>
<p>"Not tonight. I'm just looking for any possible patterns that might lead us to a sire or… whoever could have set this up," he said, trying to keep his voice light. "You know, specific targets, locations that might be significant…"</p>
<p>But Kori had already seen through his deflections, as he saw when she narrowed her eyes at him. "You mean you are looking for a chance Slade was involved in this."</p>
<p>Dick winced. He had a… complicated history with the elder vampire who called himself Slade, and his teammates knew this wasn't the first time he'd let it color his view of other cases. Still, he schooled himself into a hard expression and didn't back down.</p>
<p>"Yes, Slade is one possibility. You can't deny that it <em>would</em> fit his profile. I'm not going to let a possible lead get away from me."</p>
<p>Kori sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know we must catch him, and we will. But wearing yourself out searching for clues you cannot guarantee are there though methods that will tell you very little is not the way to do it. You must take care of yourself, Robin."</p>
<p>Dick let his gaze drop. "You know you don't have to call me that off the field," he muttered in a weak attempt to change the topic. "Those names are just to keep dangerous fey from using our true names against us."</p>
<p>Kori leaned down until she was in his field of view again. She had a warning look on her face, but he caught the hint of a teasing smile.</p>
<p>"And I am <em>not</em> a dangerous fae?" she challenged him.</p>
<p>Dick couldn't help but smirk. "Fair enough, <em>Star</em>."</p>
<p>Kori's expression softened. "You need to take a break from this." She stood up straight and took his hand, pulling him up with a strength that belied her delicate appearance.</p>
<p>Dick let her, if a little reluctantly, and together they made their way out past their other teammates who were wrapping up for the evening. Vic was meticulously polishing his custom enchanted armor, but he paused when he looked up to greet them.</p>
<p>"I can't believe it. You actually got him away from that computer," he said with a smirk. Dick tried to ignore him, but what he couldn't ignore was his own increasing awareness of Kori's fingers still curled lightly around his own. It was… nice.</p>
<p><em>No, that's just because she's a faerie, </em>he told himself.<em> And that's not fair to either of us.</em></p>
<p>He never could understand why she was so distracting, when he had such a good handle on dealing with other fae.</p>
<p>Unfortunately – and predictably – Vic noticed too, and elbowed Gar none-too-subtly to bring it to his attention as well. Gar quickly joined in, shooting Dick a wolfish grin as he passed.</p>
<p>"Where ya headed?" he asked innocently. "Are we allowed to come with, or is this <em>personal</em>?"</p>
<p>Kori paused in the doorway, confusion evident in her face. "Do you wish to join us? I fail to see why you could not."</p>
<p>Dick just rolled his eyes and pulled her outside. "Ignore him, Kor. It's just a juvenile attempt at teasing," he said dryly.</p>
<p>It was darker outside than he'd expected, and he was privately thankful that Kori had dragged him away from his work when she did. She cast him a skeptical glance – doubtless puzzled by the antics of her mortal friends – but then her expression softened and she swung around to take his other hand.</p>
<p>"I believe what you need is a new perspective," she said. "You are troubled, and if you remain in that troubled state for too long then it will hamper your investigations as much as your mood. I wish to bring you to a place that allows me to relax and reflect. I believe it will do the same for you."</p>
<p>Dick smiled. "Yeah? And where's that?"</p>
<p>As he spoke, he turned his gaze to the side – and stopped. While he'd been focused on Koriand'r's face and words, she had brought them into the Faerealm without him realizing. He could see the results of the subtle influences the physical and fae worlds had on each other: a small hill with a sort of burrow in the side stood where the Titans headquarters had been a moment ago, and massive boulders covered in glowing moss seemed to take up the rough positions of most other buildings. The pink-and-purple sky overhead held a perpetual twilight, and in the distance, he could see towering trees that marked where a small forest could be found in his own realm.</p>
<p>It had hardly been Dick's first time in the Faerealm, considering his occupation, but the nature of his usual visits meant he rarely got to take in the sights. He turned back to Kori and gave her a little lopsided grin, shaking his head. "Okay, you got me. I should have seen this coming."</p>
<p>Kori wore an innocent little smile as she replied, "It is good to know I can still surprise you. Now, it is not very far to where we are going, but I will need to fly you part of the way. Is that all right?"</p>
<p>It was, of course. A short flight brought the two of them over the misty bay, to one of several small rocky islands that dotted the water. Tiny glowing lizards and shy coastal spirits scampered out of the way as they touched down, and strangely glimmering water lapped gently at the shore. Without fanfare, Kori plopped herself down on the moss-covered ground and looked out over the water, sighing quietly to herself.</p>
<p>As Dick sat beside her, he watched her from the corner of his eye. She seemed to… <em>fit</em> in this quiet and beautiful place, and not just for the obvious reasons. In a metaphorical sense, her presence always lit up Titans headquarters on the stressful or boring days, and she brought hope to the scene whenever they faced off some mad wizard or ornery ghost. Her veins ran thick with literal magic, of course, but that intangible sense of joy and spirit – what his father had always called "real" magic, in days long gone – shone even brighter than her natural aura.</p>
<p>It was then that he realized what he truly saw in her. It was not her beauty, mesmerizing him with its subtle pull or even piquing more than a reasonable amount of mundane attraction. And it was not that she could do something like this, hopping back and forth between realms and flitting over obstacles and conjuring powerful light magic with ease. Those were just excuses, reasons he could use to justify ignoring or fighting how he felt.</p>
<p>It was that she <em>would</em> do this, that she'd leave her world behind to experience and aid another, and that she'd take the time and effort to bring someone like him back to her special spot just to get his mind away from stress. It was that she wondered, and that she cared, and that she put her beauty into whatever she set her heart to.</p>
<p>Koriand'r caught his gaze, and he realized belatedly that it had not been as subtle as he'd thought. With a small twitch of her wings, she leaned forward on folded legs. "What is it?"</p>
<p>Dick felt heat prickle on the back of his neck, and he cleared his throat and faced forward again. "It's… it's nothing. Just lost in thought, I guess."</p>
<p><em>It doesn't matter. This is unprofessional</em>, he chided himself. <em>She's your teammate, and your friend</em>, and…</p>
<p>But even as the old arguments instinctively gave way to new ones, he could not help but thrill at the intimacy of their private moment.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Righteous Fury (Prompt: Rescue)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This prompt gave me an excuse to do an action scene, and I love writing action, so it was definitely one of the most fun prompts for the week. The direction I chose to take it also gave me a chance to play around a bit with the interplay between Starfire's emotions and her powers, and those of you who have read Joy and Fury may recognize some of what's going on in that regard.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The world was tinted viridian as Starfire scanned it from high above.</p>
<p>It was not really a world, per say. More of what Raven had called a 'pocket dimension' – the extradimensional space owned by that creature who had the gall to call himself the Master of Games.</p>
<p>The <em>thief</em> who had been travelling the galaxy and using a powerful artifact to steal away those who lost his games, so he could use their skills and weapons as his own. And like any thief, she was going to take him down and <em>make</em> him return what he stole.</p>
<p>"Starfire." The sound of her name snapped her out of her idle thoughts, and she released some of her focus on joyful thought keeping her aloft. She'd been using him as the source, again – perhaps not the best choice of subject considering the circumstances, except that it made her all the more determined to find him.</p>
<p>Robin <em>was</em> her <em>k'nonaki</em>, after all – her great bond, the source from which she most easily drew her power-linked emotions. And if the "Master" thought he could take him away from her, she would only be too eager to prove him wrong.</p>
<p>"There are four main paths branching out of the coliseum," she reported as she touched down by the others. "Besides the one that we know connects the competitor's quarters, the others lead to a series of several large buildings."</p>
<p>Cyborg nodded, a thoughtful frown on his face. "Must be the tournament arenas. At least that means he doesn't have <em>more</em> of these mini-dimensions to go hiding in." He turned toward Raven, who was sitting in her meditative position.</p>
<p>"Got anything?"</p>
<p>Raven took a few seconds to respond, standing up when she did. "He's here. Robin's aura is faint through the gem, but I can still sense him. But I can't get a bead on the Master of Games without sending out my soul and alerting him that we're here – he must be out in one of the other buildings. They're in that direction," she finished, pointing down one of the hallways.</p>
<p>Beast Boy rubbed one arm. "Guess we're lucky he got Robin and not someone you don't have a freaky mind bond thing with, right?"</p>
<p>Starfire shot a warning glare at him, eyes narrowed. "I do not see how this situation can be considered 'lucky,'" she hissed.</p>
<p>Beast Boy shrank back from her, but Raven laid a hand on her arm.</p>
<p>"We'll get him back, Starfire. Along with everyone else the Master captured," she said calmly. "Getting riled up over it isn't going to help."</p>
<p>Starfire gave her a sideways look. "You forget, Raven. My emotions only strengthen me."</p>
<p>With that, she turned and began to stalk toward the far path that Raven had pointed out. Herald, who had been called on to bring the team here when the Master had first vanished with their leader, leaned over toward Beast Boy.</p>
<p>"Do her eyes always glow like that on missions?" he asked in a low voice.</p>
<p>"Only when she's about to eyebeam someone in the face or like, <em>really</em> pissed," Beast Boy stage-whispered back. "I dunno if I've ever seen it last this long, it's kinda freaking me out."</p>
<p>Starfire ignored them and continued forward, but she swore she could feel their eyes on her back. The conversation died down after that, and everyone walked quietly for several minutes.</p>
<p>"…I should have warned everyone about that gem," Cyborg finally said, his voice hollow. "When I got captured back in the Tournament of Heroes, I was trying to blast that thing. I <em>knew</em> it could be activated by prolonged contact, but it didn't even cross my mind that nobody else saw it."</p>
<p>Without a word, Starfire lifted off and poured on speed until the others disappeared behind her. She told herself it was so she could scout ahead, but… she knew Cyborg was just trying to be sensitive when he said "everyone."</p>
<p>After all, Robin wasn't the one who had tried a hard blast against that accursed gem. He'd merely jumped in the way to save <em>her</em>.</p>
<p>She would not let him suffer for her mistake. She <em>could</em> not.</p>
<p>The doors to the first arena were coming up fast. They were closed tight, locked probably, but Starfire barely even slowed down and simply smashed her way through.</p>
<p>There was very little to the floor and walls of the arena, which was instead dominated by a dozen massive cages hanging high above her. She drifted further in, scanning the area for any sign of her foe or the next exit that would bring her closer to him.</p>
<p><em>There</em>. Up in the far wall, level with the rough midpoint of the hanging cages, a rounded balcony led out to another doorway. Probably so the Master could watch his "contestants" directly if he so chose.</p>
<p>As Starfire darted up to the balcony, the low blare of a horn heralded the opening of a portal on its level surface. The Herald and her remaining teammates stepped out, forcing her to halt before the doorway.</p>
<p>Cyborg held up a hand. "Star, you're going too fast," he said, gentle but firm. "If we spook this guy or give him too much warning, he'll just teleport away and we'll have to hunt him down all over again.</p>
<p>Starfire's eyes narrowed slightly, but she dropped her gaze to the side. "There is nothing stopping him from leaving to find more victims if we wait," she retorted, "and he cannot resist a challenge, can he? I intend to give him one he will not soon forget."</p>
<p>"I think it's safe to say we all do," Cyborg replied, a little smile quirking the corner of his lip. "And we will. Together, because <em>that's</em> how we beat someone like him."</p>
<p>Starfire let out a low breath and nodded, though the blazing emerald never quite left her vision. He was right, of course – she could stay angry all she wanted, but letting her righteous fury blind her would only cause more problems. She had to remember that.</p>
<p>Cyborg nodded wordlessly to Raven, who raised her arms and enveloped them all in a darkness that pulled them through the next barrier without a sound.</p>
<p>By the time they were about halfway down the next corridor, Raven suddenly halted.</p>
<p>"They're near," she reported in a low voice. "The Master should be hiding in the next arena."</p>
<p>The Titans all shared a look and a brief nod, but before they continued, Starfire thought of something. She flew over to her team's current companion.</p>
<p>"The Herald? I believe it would be wise of you not to engage in this battle directly," she said with a thoughtful frown. "If the Master of Games manages to take your horn, he will have an even easier time escaping us, and we may no longer be able to follow."</p>
<p>Herald considered this for a moment. "Yeah, I can hang back for this one. Send me any victims you rescue from that necklace, and I'll send 'em home before your friend can capture them again."</p>
<p>That matter resolved, the Titans soon found themselves at the next entrance. Through the thick doors, they could hear the clanging of metal-on-metal and occasional blasts from some energy attack the Master had stolen. Starfire caught Cyborg's eye and raised her fists, and he nodded – for all that they couldn't give their presence away too early, their opponent would be more likely to stick around if a bombastic entry promised an exciting "game."</p>
<p>With a determined little smirk on her lips and the thought of her beloved's rescue guiding her strength, Starfire smashed through the doorway like so much tissue paper and barreled into the arena. With a start, she realized that she recognized this one: it was the fighting ground she had been sent to during the brief run of the Tournament of Heroines. Thick steel beams criss-crossed an otherwise open space, spread far enough apart that flighted opponents could weave among them without too much trouble, but passing each other close enough that ground-bound competitors had places to jump from one to the next.</p>
<p>In the middle of it all, the Master of Games was flying on massive feathery wings and aiming another blast of red-hot energy at one of the beams. He paused mid-attack as she entered, turning toward her, and her hands lit up with starbolts almost of their own accord.</p>
<p>"We are not finished with you," she spat.</p>
<p>"Yeah, Gameboy," Cyborg chimed in behind her. "Last I recall, we were just getting started."</p>
<p>The Master's face twisted into a wicked smirk. "Another round? I don't mind earning a few more trophies, even if I've already won the grand prize." He punctuated that statement with a flick of his wrist, and Robin's bo staff seemed to grow out of the palm and into his grip.</p>
<p>"Very well then! The Teen Titans versus The– <em>Urgh</em>!"</p>
<p>A powerful eyebeam – aimed at the stomach, she could not risk hitting his gem with that kind of attack – threw the villain back hard against the steel beam directly behind him. He peeled off after a moment and began to fall, his stolen wings twitching in a daze, but Starfire would not give him the chance to recover. Swooping in, she grabbed him roughly by the shoulder and forced him back against the beam.</p>
<p>But the Master had already recovered enough to bring the staff to bear. He bashed the butt of it into her torso, forcing her back with a grunt.</p>
<p>A rush of wings passed by her in that moment, and before the Master could follow up his attack, a large green woodpecker swooped in and gripped ahold of his necklace's chain. With a force and precision designed to drill into trees, Beast Boy's beak struck the gem.</p>
<p>A blazing light forced back shapeshifter and Tamaranean alike, and three figures came tumbling out. One was a Thanagarian – the source of the wings no doubt, considering they were suddenly gone from the Master's back – but she did not recognize the other two, nor had she time to see if she could place their species.</p>
<p>"<em>Get to the exit!</em>" Starfire barked in Thanagarian, pointing the way in case the others didn't recognize the language. "<em>We will deal with him, but our friend can get you home</em>."</p>
<p>As they ran, the Master of Games recovered his senses with a growl. He was in the air again, doubtless with the aid of another victim's power, but a hit from Cyborg's cannon forced him back before he could attack. Beast Boy followed this up by swooping back in and grabbing the necklace again, but the Master swatted him away before he could peck at the gem.</p>
<p>As woodpecker shifted into panther and caught ahold of one of the beams, Starfire flew in again and began to harry her opponent with starbolts. He retaliated by spitting globs of slime at her, making her aim difficult, but it mattered little – her goal now was to keep his attention on her, for she could already see the dull glow of Raven's magic enveloping the necklace to yank it off.</p>
<p>But even then the gem sparked to life, and Starfire swore she could see it pulling at her friend's energy. <em>Fear</em> added to her blazing fury and warrior's confidence and focused determined joy then. She could not let this happen again. She <em>would</em> not.</p>
<p><em>This ended now</em>.</p>
<p>With a guttural yell, Starfire tackled the loathsome being who threatened her loved ones. The force of it drove them both down past the steel beams and onto the arena's floor, knocking the wind out of her opponent. His gem, its hold on Raven's power broken, swung wildly with the impact and clattered against the ground.</p>
<p>And with both hands lit and clasped together, she slammed her fists into it – a force that would have shattered a lesser artifact into a million shards.</p>
<p>Light filled the building again, and when it cleared, nearly a dozen newcomers were sprawled across the floor. One in particular grabbed Starfire's attention, and the light in her eyes dimmed in an instant.</p>
<p>"Robin!" she cried, rushing over and dropping to her knees beside him.</p>
<p>Robin smiled and clasped the hand she offered him, pulling himself upright. "I'm okay," he reassured her. "I could see what was going on, you know. You were… <em>very</em> impressive."</p>
<p>Starfire let out a tired sigh and pressed her forehead against his, eyes closed. "I had an unusually personal stake in the matter."</p>
<p>She could hear her other teammates' hurried footsteps coming in behind her, but before they could catch up, another sound grabbed her attention. She turned to see the one who called himself the Master of Games standing up with a groan and looking at her and Robin with pure hatred in his eyes.</p>
<p>Beast Boy winced and spoke up while Raven silently directed the other rescued victims toward Herald. "Please tell me he doesn't have even <em>more</em> people stuffed in that thing."</p>
<p>Robin shot Starfire a confident smirk, which she responded to with a single sharp nod.</p>
<p>"If he does, we'll just have to take care of that too," he said aloud. "All of us, together."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Start of Forever (Prompt: Wedding Bells)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I love weddings. They're just these big, happy, fun parties! So for this prompt I ended up going full self-indulgent mess and just sort of jumped in with very little plan... and I think what little plan I had didn't even make it into the fic, whoops. The end result is less a single cohesive story than it is a series of events meant to evoke a sort of snapshot of these dorks' wedding, and I hope you have as much fun reading it as I did writing it.</p>
<p>(Note: You're going to see a certain character here whose presence would make the Royal Family Verse go very differently, as I've had pointed out to me. Rest assured that I have not forgotten him in that 'verse, and simply have different plans for him there than I do here.)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Penguin was <em>really</em> not having a good day.</p>
<p>It should have been an easy heist, or at least a relatively low-risk one. The Bat's brat was getting married halfway across the country, which meant the whole posse was out for a couple days. And, sure, he'd made the mistake of getting cocky while Batman was away before, but this thing was a <em>big</em> deal – something about alien royalty, he hadn't been keeping track of the specifics – and the way he figured, the only buddies of the big guy who wouldn't also be there were the small-fry or the newbies of the Justice League. Still formidable to common criminals, of course, but to veterans who'd been dealing with the Bat himself for years? His gang could handle it.</p>
<p>But now here he was, his thugs already captured, his trick umbrella wrecked, and fleeing for what was beginning to feel uncomfortably like his very life. He could hear footsteps behind him, and he knew it was only a matter of time before –</p>
<p><em>There</em> was the lasso. Before he could even try to dodge it, he was bound up tight and thrown flat on his face.</p>
<p>Penguin glared at his captor as she stepped into view, calmly looping up the other end of the rope bound to him. "Aren't you supposed to be at a wedding?" he grumbled.</p>
<p>Wonder Woman gave him a flat look. "This was the only way to convince my colleague it was safe to go. I <em>was</em> watching the ceremony live, and I'd like to get back to that, so let's get this over with."</p>
<p>With one hand, she pulled him up by the loop of rope around his torso and glared deeply into his eyes. "Where are you hiding the loot?"</p>
<hr/>
<p>"<em>Yeah</em>, I really can't help but feel sorry for anyone who tries to mess with Gotham right now," Wonder Girl said, pausing to take a drink from her glass. "Di might be tough in the field, but she loves a good wedding. I'm kind of surprised she even volunteered to city-sit."</p>
<p>Batwoman chuckled and leaned back in her chair. "Part of me kind of hopes a supervillain shows up there, if one hasn't already. Not only would it make a great story, but it would prove the old man right about not leaving the city vulnerable and Wonder Woman won't have to be mad at <em>him</em>."</p>
<p>The two women shared a good laugh at that, before settling in to watch events around them. The wedding was a very… <em>unique</em> affair, which was inevitable when one considered the couple in question. Starfire was still technically Tamaranean royalty, after all; her marriage to a prominent hero (or rather, <em>another</em> prominent hero) meant too much for relations between her home planet and Earth to host it under the privacy of civilian identities.</p>
<p>Not that most of the Titans Network weren't used to going around in uniform off-duty, but it made things interesting when fancy tuxedos and dresses were paired with the masks. The resulting "badass masquerade" feel of the party was oddly suited to both the many superheroes and the handful of boisterous Tamaranean dignitaries that had managed to attend.</p>
<p>Across one very active dance floor, over at the head table, Beast Boy and Cyborg were starting up a chant. They'd already had all their silverware taken away after one too many rounds of "tapping the glass to make the bride and groom kiss," but this had only slowed them down for about twenty seconds.</p>
<p>Amidst an increasingly disruptive chorus of "Do it, do it, do it," Raven leaned over to Starfire's side. "They're going to keep doing that until you give in," she muttered.</p>
<p>Nightwing looked over from her other side and pointed out, "If we do, it'll only encourage them."</p>
<p>Raven shrugged. "Your call."</p>
<p>Starfire just smiled and turned toward her husband. (Her <em>husband!</em> X'hal, that sounded good.) "I believe it all depends on whether we want to," she declared, right before leaning forward to give him a quick peck on the mouth. His half of the table promptly erupted into cheers.</p>
<p>"Mmm." Nightwing gave her that goofy little smile that never got old, and then stood up and held out a hand to her.</p>
<p>"Come on, let's head back to the dance floor before they start up again." His smile widened as he added, "As much as I enjoy kissing you, I'd rather do it on our own terms."</p>
<p>Starfire laughed a little as she accepted his offer, and together they made their way into the throng.</p>
<p>As befitting its hosts, the wedding reception was a mixed bag of American and Tamaranean traditions. In a general sense, there was plenty of overlap – good food, energetic music, and a whole lot of dancing. But it was still worth noting when the couple made their way past several tables of casually chatting guests only to come across a traditional Feasting table sprawled over with several Tamaraneans (and one specially-invited reporter who'd wanted to sample the local flavor of the royal half of the wedding).</p>
<p>The free-for-all had died down significantly by now, but one youth had planted himself cross-legged in the middle of the table and was munching happily – and completely in leu of a fork – on a slice of wedding cake. He perked up upon seeing Starfire, and promptly flew over to her.</p>
<p>"Sister!" he chirped, still clutching his cake. "This Earth dessert is very good! Do you think I can bring some back home after this?"</p>
<p>Starfire smiled good-naturedly and shared a knowing look with her husband. "You might have a hard time getting a wedding cake, but a normal one shouldn't be a problem," she said. "I can even give you a recipe Cyborg and I came up with that uses Tamaranean ingredients, if you would like."</p>
<p>"Why don't you join us when you're done?" Nighwing offered. "Star says you're pretty impressive on the dance floor, and I don't think you two have had much family time yet."</p>
<p>Wildfire grinned and nodded, but as he returned to the table, Starfire lifted a few inches off the ground and swung around to face Nightwing. That was another Tamaranean tradition – for the happy couple to fully embrace their rapturous joy by spending as much time in the air as possible – and one she was all too happy to indulge. A little impish smile crossed her face as she pulled him out to the center of the reception hall.</p>
<p>Oh, but he <em>did </em>look fetching. They had opted to dress in the wedding wear of each other's cultures, and as much as she loved her lacy wedding gown, she loved even more how well it paired with the long, loose white sleeves and classic armored accents of his suit. Even his mask had been altered for the occasion – narrower and sleeker than normal, with a dark silver replacing the usual black edges and tiny flared accents at the corners.</p>
<p>"I must admit, I do not at all mind you having to wear such a handsome mask on a day like today," she thought out loud, pulling close to him as the two began to move in beat with the music. Then, leaning in and speaking in a voice too low for anyone but him to hear, she added, "I wouldn't mind if you continue to wear it tonight, either."</p>
<p>Nightwing smirked at that, resting a hand on the back of her neck and pressing his forehead against hers as he twirled her around the dance floor. "Sorry Your Highness, but I fully intend to see you properly for our wedding night." He considered that train of thought for a moment. "Although we might be able to bring it on the honeymoon."</p>
<p>Starfire held back a snort of laughter, instead schooling her face into a mock pout. "It is less fun when you refuse to be flustered."</p>
<p>A little smile crept into the edge of her expression. "And this is a poor time to start calling me 'Highness.' <em>You're</em> technically a prince now."</p>
<p>Nightwing's smile broadened. "I still can't quite get over the thought of that. Please feel free to remind me whenever you like."</p>
<p>Now Starfire did laugh. Rising a little higher from the floor, she wrapped both arms around his waist and looked to him with a silent question.</p>
<p>Her husband (and thinking that was <em>still</em> absolutely delightful) knew her well – he just smiled again and secured both arms behind her shoulders in answer, allowing her to lift him off the ground with her. Together, they joined the flighted guests that twirled whimsically high above the rest of the party, sharing in the joy of their union for both their worlds to see.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Stargazers (Part II) (Prompt: Constellations)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>For this day, I decided to take advantage of the fact that it and the first prompt both had something to do with stars (even if metaphorically in day 1′s case) and tie them together. This is still a separate fic from day one, more a sequel than a true second part, but I thought it would be cool to close out this year’s Robstar Week the same way I started it: with our intrepid heroes, now older, watching the stars together. Happy Robstar Week everyone, I hope y’all had fun with it :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"What's that one?"</p>
<p>Dick – and he <em>was </em>Dick right now, he always wore civilian clothes when out with the kids – squinted as he tried to place the exact star that had been pointed out to him.</p>
<p>"Uhh…" When in doubt, pass the question off to Starfire. "Mom's really better with the stars, I only know the easiest ones."</p>
<p>'Kory' leaned over and followed the line of their son's finger. "That is Arcturus, Jake. Or <em>Katak</em> in Tamaranean."</p>
<p>That last comment made Dick nervous despite himself, and he glanced back to make sure his family was still alone. They had journeyed out to the same state park Nightwing and Starfire always visited when they were in the mood for stargazing, and its rangers had long since become as accustomed to their heroic guests as the people back in the city. But in the past few years, the park had also begun receiving visits from the perfectly ordinary Grayson family – a necessary distinction if he and his wife wanted to keep the existence of their twin children out of public, and by extension their enemies', knowledge.</p>
<p>They <em>were </em>still alone, of course, and he turned back to see Kory giving him a knowing look. He ignored it and leaned over to whisper, "How do you know exactly which star he's pointing at?"</p>
<p>Kory shot him an enigmatic smile. "Tamaranean navigation skills, love. I would have a poor time travelling among them if I couldn't quickly place which ones stood out."</p>
<p>From her other side, their daughter Mari tugged at the sleeve of her shirt. "Momma, can we go flying?" she begged. "It's so pretty here!"</p>
<p>Jake perked up. "Yeah!"</p>
<p>Kori sighed softly and ruffled Mari's hair. "You know we can only do that at home. Maybe if it is not too late when we get back."</p>
<p>The responding pair of exaggerated groans set off warning bells in Dick's head, and he scrambled for something to keep the kids' attention before one of them (probably Mari) decided to run off. Pointing back up at the sky, he commented, "You know, I think Arcturus is part of the Boӧtes constellation."</p>
<p>He had purposefully mispronounced the name, and it seemed to do the trick. Jake giggled behind his hands, and Mari clambered onto his lap as if it would give her a better look at the stars while shouting, "I wanna see the booty con-sellation!"</p>
<p>Dick laughed and placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "It's not what you think it is, it's Greek. It means 'herdsman.'" He pointed toward it. "See, the bright star Arcturus is at his waist, and <em>those</em> stars give you his chest and arms."</p>
<p>Mari let out a soft "Whoa," and Jake scrambled to try and join his sister for an apparently better look. This forced Dick to lean back, and he rested his other hand against the latter's back.</p>
<p>"Whoa-okay, champ, afraid you two are a little too big to both sit on Daddy's lap at the same time," he said, curling that arm around Jake and coaxing him into a comfortable position at his side. "Will that work?"</p>
<p>Instead of answering, Jake pointed up at… some point near Boӧtes and asked, "Is <em>that</em> a constellation too?"</p>
<p>Dick looked over helplessly at his wife, who was trying to hold back laughter. She cleared her throat and answered, "That would be Draco, the dragon."</p>
<p>The twins marveled together as she pointed out the components and shape of the constellation, and Dick let out a contented sigh. He lived for moments like this – these little moments spent with family, whether it was his hodgepodge group of honorary brothers and sisters waiting back home or the very real family he and Starfire had made for themselves.</p>
<p>"The dragon's my favorite!" Mari declared, pushing herself further upright.</p>
<p>Kory leaned into her husband's side, humming contentedly. "It is one of my favorites, too." Sending him another knowing smile, she added, "<em>And</em> it has several binary stars."</p>
<p>Dick smiled back at her and leaned over to give her a quick peck on the temple. Yeah, he could use more peaceful moments like this.</p>
<p>"What's a binary star?"</p>
<p>"I think it means they're being <em>mushy</em>."</p>
<p>"Momma, is it a mushy thing?"</p>
<p>…Well, <em>relatively</em> peaceful.</p>
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